No way. There's way too much potential for people to take it too far and be creepy about it. I mean, if the author says 'hey, you can contact me through [social media] at [address/username/etc] if you like' then whatever, but anything farther than that seems really intrusive.

If you are discussing a new webcomic page on its forum, and the author takes part in it - is that considered "Talking with authors"?Or are we considering only the speech addressed directly to the author in question?

The translator with the group I'm with had the oddest experience with an author we scanlate. She left a message on the author's blog once and she replied back saying something like, "thank you and everyone on your site! You're all good fans." The strange part was no one ever mentioned the site, lol

I have one word for you: 'Translators;' lots of free, instant online ones out there that can go both ways.

Ones that butcher things so badly that next to nothing will get across!

________________Reviews of my Work:You are kind of boring - BlackorionCongratulations! Ur an asshole! - tokyo_homiYour awesome!!!- Cherelle_AshleyNightSwan also said that she wanted to peg me, once, but I'm not sure whether to take that as a compliment or a threat...

The language barrier is no fun. I was lucky enough to get someone I could ask to translate it both ways though.

Tried the free online translators before, as well. I recall one time something I said ended up being about dolphins. What ...

Case in point.

Online translators are a waste of time. The technology really just isn't there yet- it's like trying to make a robot write a short story. Unfortunately, a good translation is as much an art as it is a science- the feeling needs to be transmitted in addition to the literal meaning, or you don't get the 'truth' of the original text. Even if it's a simple message like "I love your work," which could conceivably become something horribly offensive in an obscure language when translated literally. Or just sound strange. The possibilities are endless.

________________Reviews of my Work:You are kind of boring - BlackorionCongratulations! Ur an asshole! - tokyo_homiYour awesome!!!- Cherelle_AshleyNightSwan also said that she wanted to peg me, once, but I'm not sure whether to take that as a compliment or a threat...

I've thought about writing to a mangaka before, but I've never actually done it. I think my Japanese is good enough now that I can write an understandable letter, but, well... I guess it's just that writing a fan letter to a famous person is a weird, intimidating thing to me (I've never written any sort of fan letter to anyone in my whole life).

I think I might write a letter to a mangaka someday, though--it does seem like fun.